F2-7f 

ie.92- 


FROM  THE  ' 


Ball-Room 


TO 


HELL 


- BY - 

T.  A.  FAULKNER 

EX-DANCING  MASTER 

Formerly  Proprietor  of  the  Los  Angeles  Dancing  Academy 


ELLIOTT  PUBLISHING  CO. 
415  Dearborn  St. 
CHICAGO. 


Copyright  1892 

BY 

ELLIOTT  PUBLISHING  CO. 

CHICAGO. 


PREFACE. 


You  will,  my  dear  reader,  find  many  very 
plain  things  between  the  two  covers  of  this 
little  book  ;  things  which  will,  perhaps, 
shock  your  modesty  and  probably  disgust 
you  altogether. 

But  if  you  find  merely  the  reading  of 
the  facts  disgusting,  think  how  much  more 
disgusting  is  the  reality,  and  how  essential 
that  some  one  should  portray  the  evil  to 
the  public  in  a  manner  impressive  and  not 
to  be  misunderstood. 

I  have  numerous  reasons  for  undertak¬ 
ing  this  work,  chief  among  them,  however, 
being  because  I  have  for  many  months, 
felt  it  to  be  a  duty  to  my  God,  and  to  my 
fellow-man.  Nay,  I  may  put  it  in  a  yet 
more  concise  form  ;  and  simply  say, 
because  of  a  sense  of  duty  to  my  God,  for 
I  believe  the  two  to  be  inseparable.  As 
the  green  calyx  of  the  rosebud  holds  with- 

3 


IV 


PREFACE. 


in  its  embrace  everything  required  to  make 
up  the  perfect  rose  in  all  its  beauty  of  form, 
texture,  tint  and  perfume,  so  my  duty  to 
my  God  embraces  my  whole  duty  to  my 
fellow-man  in  all  its  beauty  of  kindness, 
love,  and  any  help  or  warning  I  may  be 
able  to  give,  and  if  that  duty  shall  lead  me 
to  speak  out  boldly  and  plainly  a  warning 
against  the  evil  of  a  popular  amusement, 
I  will  boldly  and  plainly  speak,  and  leave 
the  result  with  Him  whose  I  am  and  whom 
I  serve. 

Many  will,  doubtless,  object  to  the  book 
on  account  of  the  plainness  of  the  lan¬ 
guage  used  ;  but,  my  friends,  I  have  en¬ 
deavored  to  tell  the  truth,  and  to  do  this 
on  such  a  subject,  does  not  admit  of  the 
use  of  delicate  language.  A  mild  hint  at 
such  a  fact,  clothed  in  flowery  language, 
would  only  serve  to  give  a  vague  impres¬ 
sion,  and  would  fall  far  short  of  the  mission 
I  wish  this  little  book  to  accomplish,  viz.: 
the  opening  of  the  eyes  of  the  people,  par¬ 
ticularly  parents,  who  are  blind  to  the  awful 


PREFACE. 


V 


dangers  there  are  for  young  girls  in  the 
dancing  academy  and  ball-room,  and  of 
leading  some,  if  possible,  to  forsake  (as  I 
have  done)  the  old  unsatisfactory  life  of 
selfish  pleasure  and  sinful  indulgence  and 
enter  upoa  the  purer,  nobler  and  far  hap¬ 
pier  life,  which  I  have  found  in  the  service 
of  the  Lord. 

I  do  not  undertake  to  write  upon  a  sub¬ 
ject  of  which  I  am  ignorant.  There  are, 
perhaps,  few  people  living  who  have  had 
more  practical  experience  or  better  oppor¬ 
tunities  of  finding  out  the  evil  influences 
of  dancing  than  myself.  I  began  to  dance 
at  the  age  of  twelve  and  have  spent  most 
of  my  life  since  that  time,  until  within 
a  few  months,  in  the  dancing  parlors 
and  academies.  For  the  last  six  years  I 
have  been  a  teacher  of  dancing  and  for  sev¬ 
eral  years  held  the  championship  of  the  Pa¬ 
cific  Coast  in  fancy  and  round  dancing.  I 
am  also  the  author  of  many  of  the  round 
dances  which  are  the  popular  fads  of  the 
day. 


vi 


PREFACE. 


I  merely  tell  you  these  things  to  prove 
to  you  that  I  know  whereof  I  speak,  and 
not  because  I  am  proud  of  them.  On  the 
contrary,  it  is  the  greatest  sorrow  of  my 
life  that  I  have  been  so  long  and  in  such 
an  influential  way  connected  with  an  evil 
which  I  know  to  have  been  the  ruin,  both 
of  soul  and  body,  to  many  a  bright  young 
life.  And  if,  in  the  hands  of  God,  I  can 
be  the  means  of  leading  one-fiftieth  as 
many  souls  to  Christ  as  I  have  seen  led 
to  a  life  of  vice  and  crime  through  the 
influence  of  dancing  academies  with  which 
I  have  been  connected,  I  shall  be  more 
proud  than  I  have  ever  been  of  any 
previous  achievements.  And  if  this 
little  book  shall,  in  any  degree,  help  in  the 
accomplishment  of  this  purpose,  I  shall 
feel  that  I  am  more  than  repaid  for  my 
trouble  in  its  writing,  and  shall  willingly 
and  gladly  endure  all  the  harsh  criticism 
and  condemnation  I  know  its  writing  will 
bring  upon  me. 


T.  A.  Faulkner. 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FIRST  AND  LAST  STEP. 

Since  my  conversion  from  a  dancing 
master  and  a  servant  of  the  “  Evil  One” 
to  an  earnest  Christian  and  a  servant  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  question  has 
been  repeatedly  asked  me  :  “  Is  there  any 
harm  in  dancing  ?  ” 

And  letters  innumerable  have  been 
coming  in  with  questions  to  the  same 
effect. 

The  more  I  mingle  with  people  outside 
the  dancing  circle  the  more  forcibly  I  am 
made  to  realize  how  many  there  are  who 
are  seeking  to  know  the  truth  concerning 
the  evil  of  dancing,  and  how  many  thous¬ 
ands  more  who,  if  they  are  not  seeking 
that  knowledge,  certainly  ought  to  have  it. 


Have  you  read  the  preface  ? 


8 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


Let  me  assure  you  in  the  first  place  that 
I  am  well  aware  that  there  are  many 
church  members  and  professing  Christ¬ 
ians  who  dance  ;  but,  if  on  the  strength  of 
this  you  deem  it  a  safe  amusement,  come 
with  me  for  a  few  evenings,  and  when 
you  have  seen  all  that  I  can  show  you, 
let  your  judgment  tell  you,  whether  you 
can,  with  safety,  place  your  pure,  beauti¬ 
ful  daughter  in  the  dancing  academy  or 
ball-room. 

Let  us  first  take  an  instance  from  the  “se¬ 
lect  ”  dancing  academy,  and  thus  begin  at 
the  root  of  the  matter. 

Here  is  a  beautiful  young  girl.  Let 
me  take  her  for  an  example. 

She  is  the  daughter  of  wealthy  par¬ 
ents  ;  they  have  been  called  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  two  of  their  children  ;  and  this  is 
their  only  remaining  treasure, their  darling, 
their  idol  almost,  whom  they  love  more 
than  their  own  lives. 

They  wish  to  bestow  upon  her  every 
accomplishment  which  modern  society  de- 


TROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


9 


mands,  so  when  it  is  announced  that  Prof. 
- will  open  his  select  dancing  acad¬ 
emy  they  hasten  to  place  her  under  his 
instruction. 

At  first  she  seems  shocked  at  the  man¬ 
ner  in  which  he  embraces  her  to  teach  her 
the  latest  waltz. 

It  is  her  first  experience  in  the  arms  of 
a  strange  man,  with  his  limbs  pressed  to 
hers,  and  in  her  natural  modesty  she 
shrinks  from  so  familiar  a  touch.  It  brings 
a  bright  flush  of  indignation  to  her  cheek 
as  she  thinks  what  an  unladylike  and  inde¬ 
cent  position  to  assume  with  a  man  who, 
but  a  few  hours  before,  was  an  utter 
stranger,  but  she  says  to  herself:  “  This 
is  the  position  every  one  must  take  who 
waltzes  in  the  most  approved  style — 
church  members  and  all — so  of  course  it 
is  no  harm  for  me.”  She  thus  takes 
the  first  step  in  casting  aside  that  deli¬ 
cate  God-given  instinct  which  should  be 
the  guide  of  every  pure  woman  in  such 
matters. 


10  FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 

She  is  very  bright  and  learns  rapidly, 
but  a  few  weeks  have  passed  before  she  is 
able  to  waltz  well,  and  is  surrounded  by 
the  handsomest  and  most  gallant  men  in 
the  room,  who  flatter  her  until  her  head  is 
quite  turned.  She  has  entirely  overcome 
her  delicacy  about  being  embraced  in 
public  for  half  an  hour  by  strange  men. 
In  fact  she  rather  likes  it  now.  She  won¬ 
ders  all  day,  before  dancing  school,  if  that 
handsome  man  who  dances  so  “elegantly” 
and  says  such  nice  things  to  her,  will  ask 
her  to  dance  with  him  to-night,  and  finds 
herself  dreaming  of  how  delightful  it  would 
be  to  feel  his  arm  about  her. 

The  evening  at  last  comes  ;  the  uninter¬ 
esting  square  dances  are  gone  through 
with,  and  the  music  of  the  waltz  begins. 
Her  partner  is  the  Apollo  of  her  day 
dreams.  H  e  presses  her  close  to  his  breast, 
and  they  glide  over  the  floor  together  as 
if  the  two  were  but  one. 

When  she  raises  her  eyes,  timidly  at 
first,  to  that  handsome  but  deceitful  face, 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


11 


now  so  close  to  her  own,  the  look  that  is 
in  his  eyes  as  they  meet  hers,  seems  to 
burn  into  her  very  soul.  A  strange,  sweet 
thrill  shakes  her  very  being  and  leaves 
her  weak  and  powerless  and  obliged  to 
depend  for  support  upon  the  arm  which  is 
pressing  her  to  himself  in  such  a  suggestive 
manner,  but  the  sensation  is  a  pleasant  one 
and  grows  to  be  the  very  essence  of  her 
life. 

If  a  partner  fails,  through  ignorance  or 
innocence,  to  arouse  in  her  these  feelings, 
she  does  not  enjoy  the  dance,  mentally 
styles  him  a  “  bore,”  and  wastes  no  more 
waltzes  on  him.  She  grows  more  bold, 
and  from  being  able  to  return  shy  glances 
at  first,  is  soon  able  to  meet  more  daring 
ones  until,  with  heart  beating  against 
heart,  hand  clasped  in  hand,  and  eyes 
looking  burning  words  which  lips  dare 
not  speak,  the  waltz  becomes  one  long, 
sweet  and  purely  sensual  pleasure. 

The  more  profitable  things  upon  which 
she  has  been  accustomed  to  spend  her 


12 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


time  and  thought,  lose  all  attraction  for 
her,  and  during  the  time  which  intervenes 
between  dancing  school  evenings,  she 
feeds  her  romantic  passion  on  novels,  unfit 
for  any  person  to  read,  and  which  would 
have  been  without  special  interest  to  her 
before  she  .entered  the  dancing  school. 
She  spends  much  thought  upon  those 
things  which  tend  to  develop  her  lower 
nature,  for  “  as  a  man  thinketh,  so  is  he.” 
She  has  never  before  had  a  thought  she 
would  not  willingly  express  to  her  mother. 
But  now  she  thinks  of  and  discusses  with 
her  girl  friends  of  the  dancing  school, 
subjects  which  she  would  shrink  from 
mentioning  to  her  mother. 

O,  foolish  girl,  if  she  had  but  remem¬ 
bered  that  her  best  friend  was  her  mother, 
and  that  thoughts  she  could  not  express 
to  her  were  thoughts  in  which  she  should 
never  indulge,  what  untold  sorrow  and 
shame  she  might  have  been  spared. 

She  graduates  from  the  academy  and  is 
caught  into  the  whirl  of  society,  and  her 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


13 


life  becomes  what  is  called  one  round  of 
pleasure — one  round  certainly  of  parlor 
dances,  social  hops  and  grand  balls  with 
champaign  dinners  and  early  goings  home 
(early  in  the  morning,  of  course). 

This  evening  there  is  to  be  a  ball  of 
unusual  grandeur.  The  last  of  the  season 
of  gaiety,  and  the  closing  of  the  dancing- 
school  term.  Our  friend  will  surely  be 
present.  Let  us  attend.  What  a  scene 
of  beauty,  gayety  and  splendor.  It  must 
have  been  of  just  such  scenes  the  poet 
wrote  : 

“  There  was  a  sound  of  revelry  by  night, 

And  Belgium’s  capital  had  gathered  then — 

Her  beauty  and  chivalry  ” — 

But  see,  there  is  our  friend  of  the 
dancing  academy  just  entering  on  the 
arm  of  her  devoted  father.  Three  months 
have  passed  since  we  first  met  her. 
She  is  much  changed,  yet  one  can  scarcely 
see  in  what  the  change  consists.  The 
face  is  the  same,  yet  not  the  same.  There 
is  just  the  shadow  of  coarseness  in  it,  a 


14 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


little  less  of  frank  innocence  and  true 
refinement,  and  a  trace,  not  exactly  of  ill- 
health,  but  a  want  of  freshness.  This  last 
is,  however,  well  concealed  by  the  use  of 
cosmetics,  and  she  is  still  a  very  beautiful 
girl,  and  the  fond  father’s  heart  swells 
with  pride  as  he  sees  the  handsomest  and 
most  fashionable  gentlemen  of  the  ball¬ 
room  press  eagerly  forward  to  ask  her 
hand  for  the  different  dances  of  the  even¬ 
ing. 

Her  father  remains  for  a  few  of  the 
square  dances,  but  soon  retires,  knowing 
that  his  fair  daughter  will  not  want  for 
attention  from — gentlemen  whose  atten¬ 
tions  he  is  sure  must  be  desirable,  certainly 
desirable,  why  not  ?  Are  these  admirers 
not  rich  and  handsome,  and  do  they  not 
move  in  the  highest  society.  Ah,  foolish 
father,  how  little  he  knows  of  the  ways  of 
ball-room  society. 

But  let  us  turn  our  attention  again  to 
the  dancers,  at  two  o’clock  next  morning. 
This  is  the  favorite  waltz,  and  the  last  and 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


15 


most  furious  of  the  night,  as  well  as  the 
most  disgusting.  Let  us  notice,  as  an 
example,  our  fair  friend  once  more. 

She  is  now  in  the  vile  embrace  of  the 
Apollo  of  the  evening.  Hecbead  rests  upon 
his  shoulders,  her  face  iswdpturned  to  his, 
her  bare  arm  is  almost  around  his  neck, 
her  partly  nude  swelling  breast  heaves 
tumultuously  against  his,  face  to  face  they 
whirl  on,  his  limbs  interwoven  with  hers, 
his  strong  right  arm  around  her  yielding 
form,  he  presses  her  to  him  until  every 
curve  in  the  contour  of  her  body  thrills 
with  the  amorous*  contact.  Her  eyes  look 
into  his,  but  she  sees  nothing;  the  soft 
music  fills  the  room,  but  she  hears  it  not  ; 
he  bends  her  body  to  and  fro,  but  she  knows 
it  not;  his  hot  breath,  tainted  with  strong 
drink,  is  on  her  hair  and  cheek,  his  lips  al¬ 
most  touch  her  forehead,  yet  she  does  not 
shrink  ;  his  eyes,  gleaming  with  a  fierce, 
intolerable  lust,  gloat  over  her,  yet  she 
does  not  quail.  She  is  filled  with  the 
rapture  of  sin  in  its  intensity  ;  her  spirit  is 


16 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


inflamed  with  passion  and  lust  is  gratified 
in  thought.  With  a  last  low  wail  the 
music  ceases,  and  the  dance  for  the  night  is 
ended,  but  not  the  evil  work  of  the  nieht. 

The  girl  whose  blood  is  hot  from  the 
exertion  and  whose  every  carnal  sense  is 
aroused  and  aflame  by  the  repetition  of 
such  scenes  as  we  have  witnessed,  is  led 
to  the  ever-waiting  carriage,  where  she 
sinks  exhausted  on  the  cushioned  seat. 
Oh,  if  I  could  picture  to  you  the  fiendish 
look  that  comes  into  his  eyes  as  he  sees 
his  helpless  victim  before  him.  Now  is 
his  golden  opportunity.  He  must  not 
miss  it,  and  he  does  not,  and  that  beauti¬ 
ful  girl  who  entered  the  dancing  school 
as  pure  and  innocent  as  an  angel  three 
months  ago  returns  to  her  home  that 
night  robbed  of  that  most  precious  jewel 
of  womanhood — virtue  ! 

When  she  awakes  the  next  morning  to 
a  realizing  sense  of  her  position  her  first 
impulse  is  to  self-destruction,  but  she 
deludes  herself  with  the  thought  that  her 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


17 


“dancing”  companion  will  right  the 
wrong  by  marriage,  but  that  is  the  farthest 
from  his  thoughts,  and  he  casts  her  off — 
“ he  wishes  a  pure  woman  for  his  wife.” 

She  has  no  longer  any  claim  to  purity  ; 
her  self-respect  is  lost ;  she  sinks  lower 
and  lower  ;  society  shuns  her,  and  she  is 
to-day  a  brothel  inmate,  the  toy  and  play¬ 
thing  of  the  libertine  and  drunkard. 

How  can  I  picture  to  you  the  awful 
anguish  of  that  mother’s  heart,  the  sad¬ 
ness  of  that  father’s  face,  or  the  dreadful 
gloom  which  settles  over  that  once  happy 
home.  Neither  their  love  nor  their  gold 
can  repair  the  damage  done.  Their  sighs 
and  tears  cannot  restore  that  virtue.'  It 
is  lost,  gone  forever.  Ah,  better,  yes,  in¬ 
finitely  better,  would  it  have  been  if  instead 
of  placing  their  only  darling  in  the  danc¬ 
ing  school,  they  had  laid  her  in  the  grave 
by  her  little  sister’s  side  while  her  soul 
was  pure  and  spotless. 

But  how  is  it  with  her  ball-room  Apollo? 
Does  society  shun  him  ?  Does  he  pine 


18 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


away  and  die  ?  Oh,  no  ;  he  continues  in 
the  dancing  school,  constantly  seeking 
new  victims  among  the  pure  and  innocent. 

Like  flowers,  the  choicest  ones  are 
plucked  first,  and  most  admired,  their 
beauty  soon  fades  and  they  are  cast  aside 
for  new  ones.  Parents,  do  not  discredit 
my  statement.  There  is  no  mistake ;  I 
know  whereof  I  speak  when  I  say  that 
just  such  villains  as  I  have  described  are 
to  be  found  in,  and  leaders  of,  the  select 
dancing  school,  in  the  ball  room  and  at 
the  parlor  dance,  figuring  in  what  is  called 
the  best  society,  as  the  most  refined  and 
highly  polished  society  gentlemen  of  the 
day.' 

Nor  is  the  ball-room  scene  an  imaginary 
one. 

I  have  seen  it,  just  as  described,  hun¬ 
dreds,  yes,  thousands  of  times,  and  have 
known  of  many  and  many  a  case  with  the 
same  sad  ending. 

Do  not  delude  yourself,  my  dear 
reader,  with  the  thought  that  such  scenes 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


19 


occur  only  at  low  public  dances.  Some  of 
the  lowest  and  most  disgusting  deeds  of 
which  I  have  had  any  knowledge,  have 
occurred  at  and  in  connection  with,  the 
most  fashionable  parlor  dances. 

The  following  infamous  deeds  were 
done  on  one  of  the  principal  avenues  and 
at  the  home  of  one  of  the  most  aristo¬ 
cratic  families  of  this  city. 

The  occasion  was  a  fashionable  dance 
of  which  I  was  manager. 

There  was  present  the  creme  de  la  creme 
of  the  city’s  society.  Among  them  two 
beautiful  young  women  who  were  actors 
in  the  play  I  am  about  to  put  before  you. 
The  play  is  in  five  acts. 

The  first  scene  is  of  exquisite  loveliness. 
It  is  a  large  drawing  room,  elegant  in  all 
its  appointments.  Its  coloring  as  seen  by 
gas  light  is  soft,  rich,  and  beautifully 
blended  or  prettily  contrasted.  Its  pic¬ 
tures  are  rare  bits  of  art  from  the  brush 
of  the  most  popular  artists  of  ancient  and 
modern  times,  and  all  its  ornamentation 


20 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


is  forcibly  suggestive  of  culture  and  re¬ 
finement.  All  these  things  we  feel 
rather  than  see,  for  our  attention  is  riveted 
upon  the  gay  company  assembled. 

We  hear  the  hum  of  many  voices  and 
see  before  us  scenes  of  fair  women  and 
handsome  men,  diamonds  flash,  silks  rus¬ 
tle,  and  no  garden  of  flowers  ever  dis¬ 
played  a  greater  variety  of  rich  and  dain¬ 
ty  color  intermingled,  or  flashed  more 
brightly  its  gems  of  morning  dew.  But 
hark  !  From  behind  that  bower  of  blos¬ 
soms  and  evergreens  in  yonder  recess 
come  strains  of  music  which  set  the  little 
white  slipper  to  tapping  out  the  time  as 
its  wearer  waits  impatiently  for  the  waltz 
to  begin,  and  now  the  room  presents  a 
scene  of  whirling,  whirling  figures. 

Notice  particularly  this  couple  near  us 
and  that  one  in  yonder  corner,  for  I  know 
.  them  well.  The  ladies  are  beautiful  and 
respectable. 

To  be  sure,  one  not  accustomed  to  such 
scenes  would  consider  them  anything  but 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HFLL. 


21 


respectably  dressed,  with  their  nude  arms, 
neck  and  partially  exposed  breast,  and 
tightly  clinging  skirts  which  more  than 
suggest  the  contour  of  body  and  limb/’-'"" 

But  society  and  fashion  demand  such 
dress  ;  vile  men  demand  it ;  for  them  the 
waltz  would  be  spoiled  of  half  its  pleasure 
if  the  woman  was  not  as  nearly  nude  as 
she  dare  be. 

The  male  companions  of  the  two  girls 
are  handsome  and  fashionable,  but  of  their 
character  not  so  much  can  be  said,  except 
in  condemnation.  They  are  certainly 
pleasing,  and  are  in  every  way  endeavor¬ 
ing  to  be  so  to  their  young  lady  compan¬ 
ions,  and  appear  to  have  succeeded  very 
well  in  their  efforts,  for,  as  they  whirl 
over  the  floor,  they  gaze  into  the  eyes 
gloating  over  them  and  gleaming  with  a 
fury  of  lust.  They  allow  words  to  be 
whispered  to  them  which  they  would  not 
listen  to  at  any  other  time ;  listening  now, 
they  come  closer  still,  and  in  response  to 
a  pressure  of  her  hand,  his  arm  tightens 


22  FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 

its  clasp  of  her  waist,  and  she,  losing  all 
restraint,  yields  herself  to  the  evil  passion 
of  the  moment.  Thus  the  fury  of  lustful 
thought  becomes  mutual  and  is  mutually 
enjoyed. 

The  second  scene  is  in  a  summer  house. 
Only  four  characters  are  required  for  this 
act.  They  are  the  four  we  have  particu¬ 
larly  noticed  in  the  ball-room  scene. 

This,  too,  would  be  a  pretty  scene,  if 
the  pleasure  of  it  were  not  spoiled  for  us 
by  the  evil  we  see  in  it  and  know  may 
result  from  it.  The  summer  house,  cov¬ 
ered  with  vines  and  flowers,  is  in  a  beau¬ 
tiful  garden  filled  with  shrubs  and  trees. 
The  night  is  calm  and  cloudless,  and  the 
silvery  moon  looks  sadly  down  upon  the 
scene  through  the  branches  of  the  trees. 

The  girls  have  been  invited  to  retire 
thither  for  rest  and  refreshment.  The 
men  have  previously  arranged  with  a 
servant  for  the  refreshments,  with  plenty 
of  old  wine  provided  for  their  use,  and 
now  they  urge  the  ladies  to  partake,  say- 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


23 


ing  they  will  feel  refreshed  and  be  sus¬ 
tained  by  it  for  the  remainder  of  the 
evening. 

After  much  coaxing  and  pleading  they 
are  induced  to  take  a  glass.  This  accom¬ 
plished,  the  men  feel  that  their  object  is 
as  good  as  achieved.  The  wine  soon  has 
a  visible  effect  upon  the  unaccustomed 
brain,  and  the  girls  are  easily  induced  to 
drink  more. 

The  third  and  fourth  acts  are  only  rep¬ 
etitions  of  the  first  and  second,  and  the 
last  and  fifth  takes  place  behind  the  scene. 
The  curtain  must  fall  between  us  and  the 
going  home  scene  in  two  hacks  to  which 
the  half  intoxicated  girls  have  been  con¬ 
veyed  by  brutes  in  human  form. 

We  only  know  that  these  girls  are  now 
unable  to  resist,  if  they  were  to  try,  the 
deed  of  shame  their  male  companions  are 
bent  upon  doing,  in  that  closed  carriage, 
whose  driver  has  been  ordered  to  go 
slowly,  and  we  know  what  has  taken 
place,  as  in  after  days  we  see  these  girls 


24 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


no  more  in  respectable  society,  although 
their  accomplices  still  appear  as  most  ele¬ 
gant  and  highly  respectable  gentlemen, 
alias  ball-room  Apollos. 

This  tragedy,  my  friends,  was  acted  out 
in  real  life,  and  is  only  a  sample  of  hun¬ 
dreds  and  hundreds  of  cases  of  which  I 
have  had  personal  knowledge. 

“  But,”  some  mothers  say,  “  I  know 
that  I  can  trust  my  daughter.  The  waltz 
may  he  the  means  of  leading  astray  some 
shallow,  low-minded  girls,  and  may  arouse 
the  lower  nature  of  some  of  those  whose 
lower  nature  lies  very  near  the  surface, 
but  such  girls  would  go  astray  anyway. 
My  daughter  is  a  pure,  high-minded  girl, 
and  I  am  sure  she  is  trustworthy.” 

I  am  glad  she  is.  Keep  her  so,  my 
friend,  keep  her  so.  Do  not  risk  making 
her  otherwise  by  placing  her  under  the 
greatest  temptation  that  can  possibly 
come  to  a  girl. 

If  you  place  her  in  the  dancing  academy 
or  ball-room  she  cannot  and  will  not 


I 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL.  25 

remain  what  you  say  she  now  is,  and  she 
has  but  a  comparatively  small  chance  of 
escaping  ruin — comparatively  only  a  small 
chance,  I  say. 

It  is  a  startling  fact,  but  a  fact  never¬ 
theless,  that  two-thirds  of  the  girls  who 
enter  dancing  schools  are  ruined  before  the 
year  is  out .  Mark  my  words,  I  know  this 
to  be  true.  Let  me  give  you  two  reasons 
why  it  is  so.  In  the  first  place  I  do  not 
believe  that  any  woman  can  or  does  waltz 
without  being  improperly  aroused,  to  a 
greater  or  less  degree.  She  may  not,  at 
first,  understand  her  feelings,  or  recognize 
as  harmful  or  sinful  those  emotions  which 
must  come  to  every  woman  who  has  a 
particle  of  warmth  in  her  nature,  when  in 
such  close  connection  with  the  opposite 
sex  ;  but  she  is,  though  unconsciously, 
none  the  less  surely  sowing  seed  which 
will  one  day  ripen,  if  not  into  open  sin 
and  shame,  into  a  nature  more  or  less  de¬ 
praved  and  health  more  or  less  impaired. 
And  any  woman  with  a  nature  so  cold  as 


26 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


not  to  be  aroused  by  the  perfect  execu¬ 
tion  of  the  waltz,  is  entirely  unfit  to  make 
any  man  happy  as  his  wife,  and  if  she  be 
willing  to  indulge  in  such  pleasures  with 
every  ball-room  libertine,  she  is  not  the 
woman  any  man  wants  for  a  wife.  It  is  a 
noticeable  fact  that  a  man  who  knows  the 
ways  of  a  ball  room  rarely  seeks  a  wife 
there.  When  he  wishes  to  marry  he 
chooses  for  a  wife  a  woman  who  has  not 
been  fondled  and  embraced,  by  every 
dancing  man  in  town. 

It  is  also  noticeable  that  after  marriage 
few  men  care  to  dance,  or  to  have  their 
wives  dance. 

The  second  reason  why  so  many  danc- 
ing  girls  are  ruined  is  obvious,  when  one 
considers  how  many  fiends  there  are  hang¬ 
ing  about  the  dancing  schools  and  ball¬ 
rooms,  for  this  purpose  alone,  some  of 
them  for  their  own  gratification,  and  others 
for  the  living  there  is  to  be  made  from  it. 
I  am  personally  acquainted  with  men  who 
are  professional  seducers,  and  who  are 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


27 


to-day  making  a  fortune  in  just  this  way. 
They  are  fine  looking,  good  conversation¬ 
alists  and  elegant  dancers.  They  buy 
their  admittance  to  the  select  (?)  dancing 
school  by  paying  an  extra  fee,  and  know 
just  what  snares  to  lay  and  what  arts  to 
practice  upon  the  innocent  girls  they  meet 
there  to  induce  them  to  yield  to  their  dia¬ 
bolical  solicitations,  and  after  having  satis¬ 
fied  their  own  desires  and  ruined  the  girls 
they  entice  them  to  the  brothel  where  they 
receive  a  certain  sum  of  money  from  the 
landlady,  rated  according  to  their  beauty 
and  form. 

Can  you  wonder  when  the  degrading, 
lust-creating  influence  of  the  waltz  itself  is 
united  with  the  efforts  of  such  vile  demons 
of  men  as  I  have  described,  that  two-thirds 
of  the  dancing-school  girls  are  ruined. 

It  is  a  greater  wonder  that  any  of  them 
escape.  The  question  is  often  asked:  If 
what  you  say  be  true,  why  do  not  more  of 
the  dancing  girls  become  mothers  ?  I  will 
tell  you  why.  It  is  because  they  dance 


28 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HfeLL. 


away  all  fear  of  maternity.  It  is  the 
knowledge  that  the  dancing  floor  exercise 
will  relieve  if  they  get  into  trouble  that 
makes  many  a  woman  bold  enough  to  take 
risks. 

Dancing  and  drinking  invariably  go 
together.  One  rarely  finds  a  dance  hall 
without  a  bar  in  it,  or  a  saloon  within  a 
few  steps  of  it,  and  sooner  or  later  those 
who  dance  will  indulge  in  drink,  which  is 
the  devil’s  best  agent  in  the  carrying  on  of 
the  vile  business  transacted  in,  and  in  con¬ 
nection  with,  the  dance  hall. 


r 


CHAPTER  II. 

FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  THE  DRIVE. 

Let  me  tell  you  a  true  story  which  will 
illustrate  this  point. 

It  was  a  Saturday  night  in  the  month 
of  December,  in  the  year  ’91.  The  girls 
who  toil  daily  in  the  stores  and  shops  on 
Spring  street  were  hastening  to  their 
homes  after  the  long  week  of  toil.  As 
they  pass  along  we  notice  among  them  the 
tall,  graceful  figure  of  a  young  woman  who 
seems  to  be  the  favorite  of  the  group 
of  girls  about  her.  She  is  a  handsome 
blonde  of  nineteen  years,  with  a  face  as 
sweet  and  loving  as  that  of  an  angel. 

She  was  born  in  a  country  town  in  New 
England,  of  respectable  parents.  Her 
mother  died  while  she  was  yet  but  a  little 
girl,  leaving  her  to  the  care  of  a  devoted 
father,  who,  with  loving  interest,  reared 
and  educated  her. 


29 


30 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  I5ELL. 


After  the  completion  of  her  education 
she  entered  a  printing  office,  to  serve  an 
apprenticeship,  but  the  close  confinement, 
following,  as  it  did,  in  close  proximity  to 
the  confinement  of  the  school  room,  soon 
undermined  her  health  and  a  change  of 
climate  was  prescribed.  The  father  felt 
he  could  not  part  from  her  even  for  a  few 
months,  but  as  it  seemed  for  her  good,  he 
reluctantly  consented  to  her  going  to  Los 
Angeles,  the  “  City  of  the  Angels,”  for  a 
year. 

It  was  a  sad  day  for  both  when  that 
father  and  his  only  daughter  parted. 
Little  could  he  know  of  the  fate  that  was 
in  store  for  his  pure  and  loving  child  in 
the  far  West.  Little  did  he  think  when 
she  kissed  him  an  affectionate  farewell, 
and  told  him  she  would  return  in  just  one 
year,  that  he  would  never  see  her  smiling 
face  again.  Nor  did  she  dream  that  she 
was  journeying  to  her  doom ;  that  far 
beyond  the  mountains  she  should  be  laid 
to  rest  ’neath  the  sod  of  mother  earth. 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


31 


But  to  return  to  the  scene  on  Spring 
street. 

As  the  little  group  pass  up  the  street 
her  very  beautiful  face  does  not  escape 
the  notice  of  the  crowd  of  idlers  gathered 
on  the  corners  gazing\  impudently  at  the 
passers  by. 

Among  these  idlers  is  one  of  the  city’s 
most  popular  society  gentlemen  and  ball¬ 
room  devotees,  and  we  hear  him  mutter 
to  himself  as  he  stares  impudently  at  her 
pretty  face  :  “  Ah,  my  beauty,  I  shall  lo¬ 
cate  your  dwelling  place,  later  on.  You 
are  too  fine  a  bird  to  be  lost  sight  of.” 

He  follows  her  to  her  lodging,  and  day 
by  day  studies  her  habits. 

He  discovers  that  she  goes  nowhere 
except  to  her  daily  toil  and  to  church. 
He  visits  the  church,  and  finding  no 
opportunity  to  approach  her  there,  is 
about  to  give  up  the  chase  when  he  finds 
out  that  the  denomination  does  not  con¬ 
demn  dancing. 

“  Ah,  now,”  he  says,  “  I  have  you.” 


32 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


He  goes  to  one  of  the  most  fashionable 
dancing  schools,  where  he  is  well  known, 
and  explains  his  difficulties  to  the  dancing 
master,  who  is  ever  ready  to  take  part  in 
just  such  dirty  work,  for  it  is  from  the  pay 
for  such  work  that  he  derives  much  of  the 
profit  of  his  school. 

He  sends  her  a  highly  colored,  gilt- 
edged  card  containing  a  pressing  invitation 
to  attend  his  select  school. 

She  does  not  respond,  so  he  finally 
sends  his  wife  to  press  the  invitation. 
The  girl,  not  dreaming  of  the  net  that  is 
being  woven  about  her,  promises  that  if 
her  pastor  does  not  disapprove  she  will  at¬ 
tend.  Her  pastor  does  not  disapprove.  H e 
tells  her  that  he  sees  no  harm  in  dancing. 

Why  does  he  not  see  harm  in  dancing  ? 
Has  he  never  been  where  he  could  see  ? 

She  takes  it  for  granted  that  he  knows, 
and  acting  on  his  advice  attends  the 
school.  She  is  met  at  the  door  by  the 
dancing  master,  who  is  very  polite  and  so 
kindly  attentive. 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


33 


The  society  man  who  is  plotting  her 
ruin  is  the  first  person  presented  to  her. 
He  is  a  graceful  dancer  and  makes  the 
evening  pass  pleasantly  for  her,  by  his 
kind  attentions  and  praise  of  her  grace  in 
-dancing,  and  when  the  school  is  dismissed 
he  escorts  her  home,  which  courtesy  she 
accepts,  because  the  dancing  master 
vouches  for  him,  and  she  thinks  that  is 
sufficient.  He  continues  his  attentions, 
and  finally  invites  her  to  attend,  with  him, 
a  grand  full  dress  ball  to  be  given  at  one 
of  the  principal  hotels.  She  has  never  at¬ 
tended  a  grand  ball  in  her  life,  and  looks 
forward  to  this  with  the  greatest  pleasure. 

The  evening  at  lastarrives.  Her  escort 
calls  for  her  in  an  elegant  carriage.  She 
looks  more  beautiful  than  ever  in  her 
pretty,  modest  evening  dress,  and  he  says 
to  himself,  “Ah,  my  Greek  '  Goddess,  I 
shall  have  the  ‘  belle  of  the  ball  ’  for  my 
victim  to-night.” 

As  they  enter  the  ball-room  she  is  quite 
charmed  and  dazzled  by  its  splendor  and 


34 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


the  gaiety  of  the  scene,  which  is  so  novel 
to  her. 

During  the  first  of  the  evening  her 
companion  finds  her  more  reserved  than 
is  to  his  taste,  but  he  says  to  himself,  only 
wait,  my  fair  one,  until  supper  time,  and 
the  wine  will  do  the  work  desired. 

Twelve  o’clock  at  last  comes,  and  with 
it  the  summons  to  the  supper  room.  Here 
the  well-spread  table,  the  brilliant  lights, 
the  flowers,  the  music  and  the  gay  conver¬ 
sation  are  all  sources  of  the  greatest 
pleasure  to  the  unaccustomed  girl,  but 
there  is  one  thing  which  does  not  please 
her.  It  is  the  fact  that  wine  is  flowing 
freely  and  that  all  are  partaking  of  it.  She 
feels  that  she  can  never  consent  to  drink. 
It  is  something  she  has  never  done  in  her 
life.  Yet  she  dares  not  refuse,  for  all  the 
others  are  drinking,  and  she  knows  that 
to  refuse  would  bring  upon  herself  the 
ridicule  of  all  the  party. 

She  hears  her  companion  order  a  bottle 
of  wine  opened.  He  pours  and  offers  it, 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


35 


saying,  “  Just  a  social  glass,  it  will  refresh 
you.”  She  looks  at  him  as  if  to  protest, 
but  he  returns  the  gaze  and  hands  her  the 
fatal  glass,  and  she  has  not  the  moral 
courage  to  say  no. 

As  they  raise  their  glasses  he  murmurs 
softly,  “  Here’s  hoping  we  may  be  per¬ 
fectly  happy  in  each  other’s  love,  and  that 
the  cup  of  bliss  now  raised  to  our  lips  may 
never  spill.” 

One  glass  and  then  another  and  the 
brain  unaccustomed  to  wine  is  whirling  and 
giddy.  The  vile  wretch  sees  that  his  game 
is  won. 

He  whispers  in  her  ear  many  soft  and 
foolish  lies,  tells  her  that  he  loves  her,  and 
that  if  she  can  return  that  love,  he  is 
hers,  and  hers  alone,  so  long  as  life  shall 
last. 

She  sits  tipped  back  in  one  chair,  with  her 
feet  in  another, laughs  loudly  at  every  poor 
little  joke,  and  responds,  in  a  silly  affec¬ 
tionate  manner,  to  all  his  words  of  love, 
and  when  he  makes  proposals  to  which  she 


36 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


would  have  scorned  to  listen  at  any  other 
time,  she  not  only  listens  but  gives  consent 
to  all,  and  does  not  leave  the  house  that 
night. 

When  she  awakens  next  morning,  it 
is  in  a  strange  room.  Her  head  whirls, 
she  gazes  abstractedly  about  her  and  tries 
to  shake  off  what  seems  to  her  to  be  a 
horrid  dream,  but  she  is  brought  suddenly 
to  realize  that  it  is  no  sleeping  fancy,  but 
a  stearn  reality,  as  a  low  voice  by  her  side 
says, 

“  Did  you  rest  easy,  my  dear  ?” 

“  My  God  !  ”  she  fairly  shrieks,  as  the 
awful  truth  bursts  upon  her,  “  is  it  possible, 
or  am  I  dreaming  ?  ”  and  she  passes  her 
hand  wildly  across  her  face. 

“  Do  not  excite  yourself,  my  dear  ;  you 
are  not  well.  You  will  feel  better  pres¬ 
ently.” 

“  Better  !  ”  she  cries,  bursting  into  tears. 
“  Better  !  !  What  is  life  to  me  now  that 
you  have  robbed  me  of  my  virtue  ?  Oh  ! 
that  I  should  have  sunken  into  such  depths 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL.  67 

i  ' 

of  sin,  and  that  you,  vile  man,  whom  I 
trusted,  should  have  led  me  to  it.” 

She  tries  to  rise,  but  finds  herself  too 
weak  and  dizzy,  and  falls  back  heavily 
upon  her  pillow. 

“  Lie  still,  my  love,  and  when  you  are 
able  I  will  let  you  go.  But  do  not  blame 
me  for  what  has  occurred,  it  was  by  your 
own  consent.  You  know  I  am  going  to 
marry  you,  and  all  will  be  well.” 

“  No,”  she  sobs,”  “  all  will  not  be  well; 
nothing  will  ever  be  well  with  me  again,” 
and  she  returns  to  the  room  which  she 
has  left  a  few  hours  before  as  a  bright  and 
happy  girl,  now  broken  hearted  and  on  the 
verge  of  despair,  with  a  blot  upon  her 
young  life  which  nothing  on  earth  can 
efface.  To  be  sure,  he  who  has  brought 
all  this  upon  her  has  promised  to  right 
the  wrong  by  marriage,  but  poor  conso¬ 
lation  it  seems  to  her  to  have  to  marry  a 
man  whom  she  feels  to  be  worse  than  a 
murderer  ;  even  this  poor  consolation  is 
denied  her,  however,  for  the  wretch,  when 


38 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


he' gave  the  promise,  had  no  thought  of 
fulfilling  it.  Such  trifles  as  this  he  thinks 
nothing  of.  It  is  the  way  of  most  high 
society  men,  and  when  he  comes  to  her 
again  it  is  not  to  marry  her,  but  to  seek 
to  drag  her  lower  down.  She  repels  him 
and  he  is  seen  by  her  no  more.  He  has 
no  further  use  for  her. 

Days  grow  to  months,  and  now  added 
sorrow  fills  her  cup  of  grief  to  overflowing. 
She  is  to  become  a  mother,  and  the  poor 
girl  cries  out  in  bitter  anguish  :  “  My 

God,  what  shall  I  do,  must  I  commit 
murder.  Oh,  that  I  had  never  entered  a 
ball-room.” 

All  her  old  companions  shun  her,  every 
one  shuns  her,  even  he  who  led  her  to  her 
ruin  shuns  her.  She  goes  to  him,  hoping 
he  will  have  compassion  upon  her,  but  he 
meets  her  with  a  sneer,  calls  her  a  fool, 
and  tells  her  to  commit  a  yet  greater 
crime  than  the  first,  which  in  her  de¬ 
spair  she  does  and  “  seals  the  band  of 
death.” 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


39 


She  soon  became  very  ill  and  sank 
rapidly,  and  then  came  a  time  when  she 
felt  that  life  was  short,  and  that  if  she 
wished  to  leave  a  message  on  earth  it  must 
be  delivered  quickly.  Having  heard  of 
my  conversion  and  that  I  intended  expos¬ 
ing  the  evils  which  germinate  in  the  ball¬ 
room  she  sent  a  messenger  requesting  me 
to  call  immediately. 

On  entering  the  house  I  was  led  to  a 
couch  in  a  cosy  room  where  lay  the  beauti¬ 
ful  young  woman  whose  pale  face  showed 
all  to  plainly,  an  amount  of  sorrow  and 
suffering  unwarranted  by  her  years.  The 
countenance  of  the  sufferer  brightened  as 
I  entered,  and  she  extended  her  hand 
saying :  “  I  am  so  glad  you  came  to  see 

me,  so  glad  to  know  that  you  are  to  expose 
the  evil  which  buds  in  the  dance  hall.  Do 
not  delay  your  work.  I  have  prayed  God 
to  spare  my  life  that  I  might  go  and  warn 
young  girls  against  that  which  has  made 
such  a  sad  wreck  of  my  once  pure  and  happy 
life,  for,  when  I  entered  dancing  school, 


40 


FROM  THE  BALL  ROOM  TO  HELL. 


I  was  as  innocent  as  a  child  and  free  from 
sin  and  sorrow,  but  under  its  influence  and 
in  its  association  I  lost  my  purity,  my 
innocence,  my  all ,  but  I  know  that  God 
has  forgiven  the  sin  which  is  sending  me 
to  my  early  grave,  where  I  shall  soon  be 
forgotten  by  all  earthly  friends. 

“Do  not  grieve  for  me.  I  am  leaving 
this  dark  world  for  a  bright  and  happy  one 
where  sin  and  sorrow  are  unknown. 
Mother  is  waiting  for  me  there  and  I  am 
not  afraid  to  go.” 

We  spoke  of  a  hope  that  she  might  yet 
recover,  but  she  only  closed  her  eyes  and 
shook  her  head  slowly. 

“  No,”  she  said,  with  considerable  effort, 
“  I  shall  never  leave  this  room  alive,  never 
see  the  green  hills  of  home,  never  see  my 
father’s  face,  but  tell  him  not  to  mourn  for 
me,  I  shall  be  happy  in  the  arms  of  Jesus.” 

“Is  there  nothing  I  can  do  for  you  ?”  I 
asked.  “Yes,”  said  she  faintly,  looking 
earnestly  into  my  face,  “  Yes,  there  is  one 
thing  ;  that  which  I  had  hoped  I  might 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


41 


live  to  do  myself.  Promise  me  that  you 
will  do  that  and  I  shall  die  content.  Pro¬ 
mise  me  that  you  will  go  before  the  world 
and  speak  out  a  warning  against  the  aw¬ 
ful  dangers  of  the  dance  hall,  and  try  to 
save  young  girls  from  the  sin,  disgrace 
and  destruction  dancing  has  brought  upon 

y  y 

me. 

I  made  a  solemn  promise  before  God 
that  her  request  should  be  complied  with. 

The  dying  girl  showed  unmistakable 
signs  of  pleasure  at  having  my  faithful 
promise. 

She  pressed  my  hand  and  said  in  a  voice 
scarcely  audible,  “You  have  seen  ball¬ 
rooms  as  they  are,  my  friend,  and  there 
is  a  great  and  good  work  before  you.  May 
God  bless  you  in  it.  I  seal  your  promise 
with  death,”  and  before  I  could  speak  she 
was  dead  and  her  soul  had  winged  its 
flight  to  a  heaven  of  love  and  peace, 
where  weary  hearts  shall  find  perfect  love 
and  perfect  justice — where  not  man,  but 
God,  judges  his  children. 


FROM  THE  BALL,  ROOM  TO  HELL. 


42 


I  know  the  man  who  was  the  perpetrator 
of  the  crime  which  was  the  cause  of  this 
sad  death. 

He,  to-day,  instead  of  being  hung  for 
murder,  as  he  so  richly  deserved,  is  a 
leader  in  society.  His  name  often  ap¬ 
pears  in  the  social  columns  of  the  daily 
papers  of  Los  Angeles,  as  the  leader 
of  some  fashionable  dancing  party  or 
Kirmess. 

He  has  been  the  winner  of  several 
prizes  in  dancing,  in  fact,  is  an  elegant 
dancer  and  is  wealthy.  These  facts  gain 
for  him  admission  to  whatsoever  society 
he  chooses  to  enter. 

Think,  ye  parents  who  have  daughters 
who  dance,  of  their  being  night  after 
night  in  the  embrace  of  such  men  as  he, 
as  they  most  certainly  are  if  they  dance 
much.  Such  men  as  he  flock  to  places  of 
dancing  for  that  very  purpose. 

Some  may  say  that  places  of  dancing 
are  not  the  only  places  where  such  men 
are  to  be  found.  True,  but  at  no  other 


FROM  THE  BALL  ROOM  TO  HELL. 


43 


place  would  they  be  allowed  to  take  such 
liberties  with  your  daughters  that  they 
may  there.  This  they  well  know  and 
consequently  there  are  more  of  them  to  be 
found  in  places  of  dancing  than  elsewhere, 
and  it  is  not  the  whirling  that  they  go  for 
and  enjoy. 

How  long  would  dancing  be  kept  up  if 
they  were  to  whirl  alone,  or  if  men  were 
to  dance  with  men  and  women  with 
women?  Ah,  no;  it  is  not  the  whirling, 
but  the  liberties  the  waltz  affords,  which 
forms  its  chief  attraction. 

You,  perhaps,  think  your  daughter  is  in 
the  most  select  society,  and  only  in  such, 
and  will  accept  only  the  most  respectable 
gentlemen  as  partners.  But,  how  are 
you  to  know  this  ?  How  can  you  be  sure 
that  this  very  man  of  whom  I  have  been 
speaking,  or  another  of  the  same  type,  is 
not  among  those  considered  the  most  re¬ 
spectable  in  the  select  parlor  dances  ? 

You  maybe  perfectly  certain  that  he 
will  never  publish  his  own  misdeeds,  and 
the  girl  cannot  expose  him  without  mak- 


44 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


ing  public  her  own  disgrace,  so  his  base 
deeds  go  undiscovered  and  he  may  still 
be  found  at  dancing  parties  or  on  the 
street  corners  engaged  in  the  occupation 
in  which  we  first  met  him,  viz  :  seeking 
whom  he  might  destroy. 

What  decent  woman,  if  she  knew  his 
real  character, would  wish  to  throw  herself 
into  the  arms  of  such  a  man.  If  she  were 
truly  a  “lady”  she  would  almost  rather  die 
than  have  such  a  man  even  touch  her,  to 
say  nothing  of  being  in  his  close  embrace 
for  the  space  of  a  waltz. 

Or,  what  lady  would  allow  any  man,  in 
any  other  public  place,  except  the  ball¬ 
room,  to  take  the  liberties  with  her  that 
he  takes  there?  Would  a  lady  with  a 
spark  of  self-respect,  at  any  other  place, 
lay  her  head  upon  his  shoulder,  place  her 
breast  against  his,  and  allow  him  to  en¬ 
circle  her  waist  with  his  arm,  place  his 
foot  between  hers  and  clasp  her  hands  in 
his  ? 

This  is  the  position  assumed  in  waltzing, 
and  I  tell  you,  my  friends,  that  such  a  po- 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL.  id 

sition  tends,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  to 
develop  the  lower  nature  of  sexes.  It 
cannot  be  otherwise.  It  is  in  perfect  ac¬ 
cordance  with  nature.  1  have  heard  girls 
express  utter  innocence  of  having  any  im¬ 
proper  emotion  aroused  by  the  waltz,  but 
I  do  not  believe  this  to  be  strictly  true  of 
any  girl.  If  it  is,  I  am  sorry  for  that 
girl,  for  she  has  a  sad  lack  in  her  nature. 

“  Male  and  female,  God  created  them  ” 
and  placed  within  them  emotions  intended 
to  be  shared  only  by  man  and  wife,  and 
if  others  indulge  in  those  emotions,  and 
continually  arouse  them  by  assuming  the 
waltz  position,  which  is  only  fit  for  man 
and  wife,  they  commit  a  sin  against  God 
and  nature. 

Against  God  because  He  has  said 
“  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,”  and  “  I 
say  unto  you  that  whosoever  looketh  on  a 
woman,  to  lust  after  her,  hath  committed 
adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart.’’ 

And  against  nature,  because  a  girl 
thus  constantly  aroused,  soon  breaks  her 
health. 


46 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


One  may  work  six  days  in  the  week  and 
arise  fresh  every  morning,  but  let  him 
attend  a  dance  for  only  a  few  hours  each 
evening  and  see  what  will  occur.  Health 
and  vigor  vanish  like  the  dew  before  the 
sun. 

It  is  not  the  exercise  which  harms  the 
dancer  in  mind  and  body,  but  the  coming 
in  such  close  contact  with  the  opposite 
sex.  Did  you  ever  know  a  lady  who 
danced  to  excess  to  live  to  be  over  twenty- 
five  years  of  age  ?  If  she  does  she  is,  in 
most  instances,  broken  in  health  physi¬ 
cally  and  morally.  Doctors  claim  it  to  be 
a  most  harmful  exercise  physically  for  both 
sexes.  The  average  age  of  the  excessive 
male  dancer  is  thirty-one, 

Beside  the  harmful  exercise  there  is 
great  danger  from  the  exposure,  a  girl  is 
so  often  subjected  to  in  a  ball  room.  She 
gets  in  a  perspiration  during  the  dance, 
and  as  soon  as  it  is  over  rushes  to  an  open 
door  or  window  with  arms  and  chest 
exposed.  Is  there  any  wonder  that  so 
many  women  of  to-day  are  unhealthy  ? 


CHAPTER  III. 


PARLOR  DANCING. 

Some  contend  that  there  is  no  harm  in 
parlor  dancing.  How  many  parents  are 
able  to  restrict  their  children  to  parlor 
dancing  only  ?  Not  one  in  ten  thousand. 

Dancing  is  too  fascinating,  and  they  who 
were  at  first  content  with  parlor  dancing 
soon  want  something  else,  and  will,  for 
the  sake  of  dancing,  go  to  almost  any 
place. 

If  private  dancing  is  allowed,  and  all 
else  strictly  forbidden,  the  child  will  often 
deceive  his  parents  and  dance  at  times  and 
in  places  that  they  know  not  of. 

I  have  known  young  people  to  be  at 
Sunday  night  dances,  and  in  low  company, 
when  their  parents  (who  only  allow  parlor 
dancing)  thought  they  were  at  church. 

They  made  a  practice  of  going  to  the 
church  and  remaining  long  enough  to  get 

47 


» 


48 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


the  text  of  the  pastor’s  discourse,  and  then 
going-  away  to  spend  the  time  in  dancing, 
and  if  questioned,  they  were  able  to  give 
the  text  of  the  evening’s  sermon,  and  the 
trusting  parents  would  not  dream  of  their 
having  been  any  where  but  at  church. 

I  only  wish  that  certain  parents,  who 
think  they  are  restricting  their  chidren  to 
“parlor  dancing  at  home  only,”  could  have 
been  with  me  the  night  of  May  30th,  1892, 
and  seen,  as  I  did,  their  girls,  some  of  them 
but  twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  age,  danc¬ 
ing  in  a  public  saloon,  where  so  much  beer 
had  been  spilt  on  the  floor  that  the  women 
had  to  hold  their  dresses  up  to  keep  them 
from  getting  soiled  and  wet  as  they  danced. 

This  is  usually  the  result  of  teaching  the 
child  to  dance  and  then  restricting  them 
to  home  dancing.  If  they  once  become 
fascinated  with  it  they  mus't  and  will,  by 
some  means,  fair  or  foul,  have  more  of  it 
than  their  homes  afford. 

There  are  professing  Christians  who 
condemn  the  sale  of  liquor,  advocate  the 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


49 


closing  of  saloons,  and  frown  on  Sunday 
picnics  and  other  amusements,  who  allow 
their  own  children  to  attend  so-called 
select  dancing  parties. 

In  these  places  are  taught  the  rudi¬ 
ments  of  an  education  which  may  make 
them  graduates  of  the  saloon  or  the 
brothel. 

I  do  not  say  that  it  always  does,  but  I 
do  say  that  it  often  does. 

The  safe  side  is  the  best  side.  Keep 
them  from  taking  the  first  step  to  ruin,  and 
they  can  never  take  the  last. 

Where  did  the  majority  of  the  drunkards 
take  their  first  drink  ?  Where  did  the 
gambler  play  his  first  card  ?  Where  did 
three-fourths  of  the  women,  who  are  to-day 
living  a  life  of  shame,  have  a  man’s  arm 
about  them  for  the  first  time  ? 

Let  me  answer. 

The  first  drink  of  the  drunkard  was  just 
a  social  glass. 

The  first  game  of  the  gambler  was  just 
a  social  game. 


50 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


And  three-fourths  of  the  outcasts  had  a 
man’s  arm  about  them  for  the  first  time 
when  they  were  young  girls  at  a  social 
dance. 

There  are  in  San  Francisco  2,500  aban¬ 
doned  women.  Prof.  La  Floris  says  :  “  I 
can  safely  say  that  three-fourths  of  these 
women  were  led  to  their  downfall  through 
the  influence  of  dancing.” 

The  lot  of  a  Negress  in  the  equatorial 
forest  is  not,  perhaps,  a  very  happy  one, 
but  it  is  not  much  worse  than  that  of  many 
a  pretty  orphan  girl  in  our  Christian  land. 

We  talk  of  the  brutalities  of  the  dark, 
dark  ages,  and  profess  to  shudder  as  we 
read  in  books  of  the  shameful  practices  of 
those  times,  and  yet,  here  beneath  our 
very  eyes,  in  our  ball-rooms  and  theatres 
and  in  many  other  places,  the  same  hide¬ 
ous  abuse,  which  must  be  nameless  here, 
flourishes  unchecked. 

A  young  penniless  girl,  if  she  be 
pretty,  is  often  haunted  from  pillar  to  post 
by  her  employer,  and  if  he  fails  to  get  her 


FROM  THE  EALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


51 


to  submit  to  his  diabolical  solicitations 
outside  of  the  ball  room,  he  will  manage 
to  get  her  to  attend  a  dancing  school, 
where  he  has  the  right  to  encircle  her 
with  his  arms  and  press  her  to  himself 
until  she  is  inflamed  with  passion.  She 
hears  in  the  ball  room  no  warning  voice, 
finds  no  helping  hand  to  guide  her  in  the 
path  of  virtue.  The  only  helping  hands 
there  are  those  of  which  Byron  wrote, 

“Hands  which  may  freely  range  in  public  sight 
Were  ne’er  before — ” 

and  which  helps  her  rapidly  down  the  road 
to  ruin. 

When  the  poor  girl  is  once  induced  to 
sacrifice  her  virtue  she  is  treated  as  a 
slave  and  outcast  by  the  very  man  who 
brought  her  ruin  upon  her.  Her  self-re¬ 
spect  is  gone.  Her  life  becomes  value¬ 
less  to  her,  and  she  is  swept  downward, 
ever  downward,  into  the  bottomless  pit  of 
prostitution,  and  becomes  an  outcast  from 
God  and  from  her  fellow-beings. 


52 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


But  she  is  far  nearer  the  loving,  pitying 
heart  of  Christ  than  all  the  men  who  forced 
her  down.  And  who  shall  say  that 
Jesus  loves  her  less  than  He  does  those 
who  profess  to  be  His  followers  and  the 
soldiers  of  His  cross, and  yet  stand  silently 
and  idly  by  while  all  this  fearful  wrong 
goes  on. 

The  matron  of  a  home  for  fallen  wo¬ 
men  in  Los  Angeles,  says  :  “  Seven- 
tenths  of  the  girls  received  here  have  fal¬ 
len  through  dancing  and  its  influence.” 

Of  course,  some  of  these,  either  from 
inherited  passion  or  evil  education,  have 
deliberately  and  of  free  choice  entered 
upon  a  life  of  shame  ;  but  the  great  ma¬ 
jority  do  so  under  the  stress  of  tempta¬ 
tion  ;  sometimes  because  of  poverty  or 
chafing  against  uncongenial  employment, 
with  meager  wages.  They  are  told  that 
in  the  profession  of  prostitution,  they  can, 
if  they  are  lucky,  make  more  in  a  single 
night  than  they  could  by  sewing  a 
week. 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


53 


Can  you  wonder  that  many  a  girl, 
aroused  by  the  waltz  and  then  lured  by 
such  glittering  bait,  is  led  to  sell  her¬ 
self,  soul  and  body,  to  those  who  make 
use  of  her  and  then  cast  her  aside  for 
another  ? 

And  yet  ball-rooms,  where  this  corrup¬ 
tion  germinates,  flourish  and  thrive  and 
are  countenanced  by  preachers  of  the 
gospel,  and  attended  and  encouraged  by 
church  members  whose  pastors  have  not 
the  moral  courage  to  condemn  the  evil,  for 
fear  of  offending  some  of  their  members 
who  dance. 

The  ministers,  in  a  great  measure,  set 
the  standard  of  morality  in  our  land,  and 
when  they  will  rise  to  the  occasion  and 
make  a  long  strike,  a  strong  strike,  a  strike 
altogether  against  this  ball-room  curse, 
Christian  people  will  strike  with  them. 
Then,  and  not  until  then,  will  this  evil  be 
wiped  out. 

It  is  at  the  cause  and  not  the  effect  that 
the  strike  must  be  made. 


54 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


In  some  cities  the  advisability  of  closing 
all  the  houses  of  prostitution  by  laws  has 
been  discussed. 

One  might  as  well  try  to  stop  the  Mis¬ 
sissippi  river  from  flowing  by  damming  it 
at  its  mouth,  as  to  try  to  stop  this  great 
stream  of  vice  by  closing  the  doors  of  the 
brothel. 

To  dam  the  river  at  its  mouth  would 
only  cause  it  to  overflow  its  banks  and 
seek  another  outlet,  and  to  close  the  doors 
of  the  brothels  on  one  street  would  only 
drive  them  to  another. 

To  stop  this  great  tide  of  sin  we  must 
begin  at  its  source.  To  close  the  doors 
of  the  brothel,  close  first  the  doors  of  the 
dancing  school. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


ABANDONED  WOMEN  THE  BEST  DANCERS. 

The  most  accomplished  and  most  perfect 
dancers  are  to  be  found  among  the  aban¬ 
doned  women.  Why  ?  Because  they  are 
graduates  of  dancing  schools. 

If  any  should  wish  to  ascertain  the  truth 
of  this  let  him  ask  the  girls  themselves. 

I  have  for  several  months  been  working 
in  a  Mission  of  Los  Angeles,  and  where  I 
have  before  seen  causes  at  work,  I  have 
now  had  ample  opportunity  of  seeing  the 
effect,  and  I  have  often  heard  some  of 
these  unfortunate  ones  cry  out  in  bitter 
anguish  “  Would  to  God  that  I  had  never 
entered  a  dancing  school.’.’ 

The  following  200  were  cases  of  girls 
who  are  to-day  inmates  of  the  brothel 
whom  I  talked  with  personally.  They 

were  frank  to  answer  to  my  questions  in 
55 


56 


FROM  THE  BALL  ROOM  TO  HELL. 


regard  to  the  direct  cause  of  their  down¬ 
fall,  and  I  gathered  that  these  were  ruined 
by: 

Dancing  school  and  ball  rooms  163 
Drink  given  by  parents  -  20 

Willful  choice  —  -  —  10 

Poverty  and  abuse  -  -  7 

200 

I  know  of  a  select  dancing  school  where 
in  a  course  of  three  months  eleven  of  its 
victims  are  brothel  inmates  to-day. 


CHAPTER  V. 

EQUALLY  A  SIN  FOR  BOTH  SEXES. 

I  have,  in  the  preceding  pages,  spoken 
chiefly  of  the  harm  that  comes  to  women 
from  dancing,  and  have  shown  how  vile 
men  make  use  of  the  privileges  the  waltz 
and  its  surroundings  afford  to  lead  once 
pure  girls  to  impurity  and  often  to  crime. 
But  do  not  think  for  a  moment  that  be¬ 
cause  I  have  here  thus  spoken,  that  I  hold 
the  women  blameless  or  the  dance  to  the 
man  harmless. 

While  the  woman  is  more  often  disgrac¬ 
ed  in  the  sight  of  man,  I  believe  that  in 
the  sight  of  God  the  sin  of  dancing  is 
equally  a  sin  for  both  sexes. 

A  girl  is  often  ensnared  into  intoxication 
and  thus  into  greater  sin  by  vile  men,  but 
she  is  in  no  way  excusable.  If  she  goes 
to  a  ball  she  must  take  the  consequences. 
Every  woman  has  a  God-given  instinct 

5< 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


58 


which  teaches  her  right  from  wrong,  and 
she  cannot  but  know  that  to  indulge  in 
such  emotions  as  the  modern  waltz  fosters 
is  wrong. 

It  is  a  horrible  fact,  but  a  fact  none  the 
less,  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  a 
woman  shall  be  able  and  willing  to  recipro¬ 
cate  the  feelings  of  her  partner  before  she 
can  graduate  a  perfect  dancer. 

So,  even  if  it  be  allowed  that  a  woman 
may  waltz  virtuously,  she  cannot,  in  that 
case,  waltz  well. 

It  matters  not  how  perfectly  she  knows 
and  takes  the  steps,  she  must  yield  her¬ 
self  entirely  to  her  partner’s  embrace,  and 
also  to  his  emotions.  Until  a  girl  can  and 
will  do  this  she  is  regarded  a  scrub  by  the 
male  experts. 

I  would  that  young  women  who  dance 
could  just  once  be  “behind  the  scenes” 
when  young  men  meet  after  an  evening’s 
dance  to  discuss  it  together,  and  hear  such 

remarks  as  “that  Miss - is  a  perfect 

stick.  I  would  not  give  a  fig  to  dance 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


59 


with  her.  You  can’t  arouse  any  more 
passion  in  her  than  you  could  in  a  putty 
man.  To  waltz  with  such  as  she  is  not 
what  I  go  for.” 

Or,  another  says:  “  Ah!  but  that  beau¬ 
tiful  Miss  Smith  is  a  daisy.  She  is  posted. 
This  waltzing  is  the  greatest  thing  in  the 
world.  While  you  are  whirling  one  of 
these  dear  creatures,  if  you  do  the  thing 
correctly,  you  can  whisper  in  her  ear  things 
she  would  shoot  you  for  saying  at  any 
other  time,  but  she  likes  it  all  the  same. 
They  take  to  it  naturally  enough  if  they 
are  properly  taught.  If  you  don’t  know 
just  how  it  is  done  go  to  a  dancing  master, 
or  any  professional  dancer.  They  know, 
and  they  will  soon  let  you  know.  You 
will  soon  become  a  waltzer  and  thus  find 
out  what  there  is  in  it.” 

Such  remarks,  and  worse  than  these, 
(remarks  unfit  to  publish  even  in  this 
plainly  written  book)  are  made,  my  fair 
young  ladies,  after  the  ball,  about  you 
by  the  very  young  men  who,  at  the  dance, 


60 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


you  thought  so  nice  and  who  are  so  con¬ 
sidered.  I  am  ashamed  to  say  in  by-gone 
days,  I  have  been  among  these  young  men 
myself,  and  I  know  that  to  hear  them 
give  free  expression,  loose-tongued,  to  the 
lewd  emotions  and  sensual  pleasures  in 
which  they  indulge  while  in  your  em¬ 
brace,  is  almost  as  common  as  the  waltz 
itself. 

I  repeat  what  I  have  said  before,  that  I 
do  not  refer  to  rough,  uncultured  men, 
but  to  those  who  are  looked  upon  by  so¬ 
ciety  as  most  polished,  refined  and  desir¬ 
able  young  men. 

If  it  be  true  that  a  woman,  however  in¬ 
nocent  in  thought,  is  the  subject  of  such 
vile  comment,  if  there  is  the  barest  possi¬ 
bility  that  it  may  be  true,  is  it  not  also 
true  that  if  she  is  possessed  of  a  remnant  of 
delicacy,  she  will  shrink  from  exposing 
herself  to  such  comment,  and  flee  from 
places  of  dancing  as  from  a  den  of  vipers  ? 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  APPROVAL  OF  SOCIETY  IS  NO  PROOF 
AGAINST  THE  DEGRADATION. 

I  know  that  there  are  many  who  will 
contend  that  I  have  some  selfish  or  spite¬ 
ful  motive  in  writing  thus  strongly  in 
condemnation  of  the  waltz.  Many  will 
doubtless  claim  that  the  waltz  is  very 
moral  and  healthful,  is  indulged  in  by  the 
best  people  of  every  land,  seemingly 
tolerated  by  all,  and  that  he  who  raises 
his  voice  against  it  does  so  from  other 
motives  than  a  disinterested  desire  to 
warn  his  fellow-men  against  it. 

I  admit  that  it  is  indulged  in  by  a  great 
multitude  (not  of  the  best)  but  the  most 
aristocratic  society  people.  But  does  the 
fact  that  society  has  permitted  itself  to  be 
carried  by  storm  into  a  toleration  of  the 
modern  dance  make  the  dance  any  less 
degrading  and  sinful.  No  more  so,  it 


62 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


seems  to  me,  than  does  the  fact  of  the 
universal  use  of  alcohol  make  its  effect 
less  harmful  or  make  it  any  the  less  a 
destroyer  of  homes,  happiness  and  charac¬ 
ter. 

No,  its  universality  does  not  prove  its 
morality,  and  it  is  certain  that  results 
prove  conclusively  its  immorality,  and  all 
who  try  to  make  it  out  otherwise,  are  either 
those  who  know  nothing  at  all  about  it 
and  are  unwilling  to  believe  that  such  an 
evil  could  be  in  their  midst  without  their 
knowledge,  or  those  who  know  and  prac¬ 
tice  the  abominations,  but  enjoy  it  far  too 
well  to  confess  what  they  know.  These 
last  will  be  loudest  in  their  clamor  against 
this  book  and  its  author,  and  in  their  pro¬ 
fession  of  perfect  innocence. 

They  believe  themselves  to  be  the  sole 
possessors  of  the  secret  which  makes  the 
waltz  their  pet  amusement.  They  do  not 
mean  that  their  secret  shall  be  divulged, 
and  they  seize  every  opportunity  of  prais¬ 
ing  the  “  beauty  and  variety”  of  the  waltz. 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


63 


Its  health  giving  exercise,”  “its  innocent 
amusement  ”  and  its  grace-giving  qualities. 
Grace-giving,  forsooth.  The  grace  of  the 
harlot,  to  my  mind,  is  not  the  most 
desirable  possession. 

I  have  known  many  and  many  a  non¬ 
dancing  mother  to  encourage  her  child  to 
learn  to  dance,  because  she  wanted  her  to 
become  graceful,  and  in  many  a  case  that 
daughter  has  lost  grace,  health,  virtue  and 
all  that  a  woman  holds  dear.  If  you  have 
a  choice  of  a  saloon  for  your  son,  and  a 
so-called  select  dancing  school  for  your 
daughter,  I  beseech  you,  in  the  name  of 
God,  place  your  son  in  the  saloon,  but 
keep  your  daughter  out  of  the  dancing 
school. 

If  you  wish  her  to  become  graceful 
there  are  schools  of  physical  culture  which 
are  much  better  adapted  to  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  health  and  grace,  and  much  less 
to  the  development  of  vile  passions  and 
depraved  natures.  What  I  have  said  be¬ 
fore  will  be  no  surprise  to  those  who  waltz, 


64 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


though,  of  course,  they  wiil  feign  great 
surprise,  ignorance,  and  innocence  of  it  all. 

But  dancing  schools  are  often  made  use 
of  in  a  way  that  is  not  so  well  known. 
Professional  thieves  often  frequent  these 
places.  Many  of  them  are  perfect  dancers 
and  good  conversationalists.  They  ap¬ 
pear  most  respectable  and  are,  of  course, 
so  considered,  since  they  are  found  in 
the  select  school,  where  references  are 
required. 

They  gain  admittance  to  the  school 
either  by  practising  fraud  upon  the  danc¬ 
ing  master,  or  inducing  him  to  practice 
fraud  upon  the  public  by  admitting  such 
a  man  for  a  liberal  compensation,  to  what 
he  advertises  to  be  a  select  school. 

When  once  in  a  school  it  is  an  easy 
matter  to  form  the  acquaintance  of  the 
wives  and  daughters  of  wealthy  men. 

To  these  he  makes  himself  most  agree¬ 
able,  as  he  well  knows  how  to  do,  and,  if 
possible,  manages  by  some  means  or 
other,  to  get  an  invitation  to  call.  If  he 


FROM  THL  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


65 


fails,  he  makes  some  excuse  to  call  with¬ 
out  an  invitation.  During  his  calls  he 
manages,  if  opportunity  presents  itself,  to 
seize  some  valuables  ;  if  not  he  will  locate 
them,  to  be  called  for  upon  some  future 
dark  night,  and  he  is  quite  safe  from  arrest, 
for  even  if  suspected  he  knows  that  the 
ladies  of  the  house  who  have  been  seen 
with  him  in  public  would  only  bring  dis¬ 
grace  upon  themselves  by  arresting  for 
theft  a  man  upon  whose  breast  they  often 
reclined  in  public. 

This,  however,  is  of  small  account.  If 
it  was  the  only  evil  connected  with  danc¬ 
ing,  this  book  would  never  have  been 
written.  The  loss  of  earthly  possessions 
is  of  little  consequence  when  compared 
with  the  loss  of  health,  happiness,  purity 
and  virtue. 

I  simply  tell  you  this  to  show  you  how 
many  evils  a  dancing  master  is  cognizant 
of  in  connection  with  dancing,  that  the 
generality  of  people  know  little  or 
nothing  about. 


66 


FROM  "HE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


Some  one  has  said  that  few  people 
know  better  than  the  dancing  master  and 
saloon  keeper,  how  many  souls  are  sent 
through  the  port  holes  of  hell  between 
the  ages  of  fourteen  and  twenty  by  these 
two  agencies  of  the  devil. 

And  he  is  right. 

The  heart  of  the  dancing  master  must 
be  even  harder  than  that  of  the  saloon 
keeper,  for  while  the  saloon  keeper  must 
witness  the  harmful  and  disgraceful  in¬ 
dulgence  of  men,  principally,  he  knows 
that  there  is  a  chance  that  it  may  prove 
only  a  harmful  indulgence. 

But  the  man  who  can  constantly  see 
pure  and  lovely  women  being  whirled  to  a 
disgrace  from  which  she  can  never  recover 
must  have  a  heart  hard  indeed.  Yet  this  is 
what  I  havewitnessed  and  helped  toperpet- 
uate  by  teaching  dancing.  Still  I  heedlessly 
continued  in  the  business,  until  something 
occurred  which  set  me  to  thinking. 

I  met  on  a  train,  while  leaving  town, 
one  day,ayoungwoman,who,  a  few  months 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


67 


before,  had  been  a  member  of  my  select 
dancing  academy.  She  had  been  ruined 
there,  and  was  one  of  the  discarded  ones 
when  the  school  was  closed  for  a  few  weeks, 
as  all  dancing  schools  have  to  be  every  little 
while,  to  get  rid  of  those  girls  who  have 
met  with  a  fate  similar  to  hers. 

I  entered  into  conversation  with  her  and 
found  she  could  no  longer  endure  being 
shunned  and  slighted  by  all  her  old  com¬ 
panions,  and  was  running  away  from 
home.  I  knew  that  her  parents  would  be 
heart  broken,  and  that  she,  without  the 
protection  of  a  home,  would  soon  sink  to 
utter  abandonment,  and  I  tried  every  per¬ 
suasion  to  induce  her  to  return  to  the 
home  she  was  leaving.  I — who  was  still 
teaching  the  very  thing  which  had  been 
her  ruin,  now  that  self-respect  and  all  for 
which  life  was  worth  the  living,  was  lost  to 
her  forever — I  tried  to  save  her  from 
further  degradation. 

After  I  had  argued  for  some  time  with 
her  she  turned  fiercely  upon  me,  her  once 


G8 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


beautiful  eyes  now  filled  with  a  desperation 
born  of  despair,  and  said,  with  a  look  and 
tone  of  reproach  which  I  shall  never  for¬ 
get  :  “  Mr.  Fulkner,  when  you  will  close 
your  dancing  schools  and  stop  this  busi¬ 
ness,  which  is  sending  so  many  girls  by 
swift  stages  on  a  straight  road  to  hell,  then, 
sir,  and  not  till  then,  will  1  think  of  re¬ 
form.” 

I  was  stirred  by  her  words  as  I  had 
never  been  stirred  before.  But  for  them  I 
might,  perhaps,  not  have  been  writing  this 
book  to-day.  At  this  I  know  many  may 
sneer  and  say  that  I  have  myself  done 
more  than  most  men  towards  the  further¬ 
ance  of  the  evil  I  so  strongly  condemn. 

I  bow  my  acknowledgements.  I  own  it 
all. 

“I  lived  for  self,  I  thought  for  self, 

For  self  and  none  beside, 

[ust  as  if  Christ  had  never  lived, 

As  though  he  had  never  died.” 

I  sinned  against  heaven  and  in  the 
sight  of  God  and  man,  and  was  in  no  wise 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HEI.L.  (j'J 

worthy  to  become  a  child  of  him  to  whom 
I  came  ten  months  ago,  and  he  received 
me  just  as  I  was,  all  stained  with  many, 
many  sins,  and  in  his  boundless  love  and 
mercy  he  forgave  them  all. 

I  feel  I  cannot  close  this  book  without 
just  a  word  to  any  of  my  old  companions 
who  may  chance  to  read  it,  and  to  others 
who  are  leading  the  life  I  once  led.  I  want 
you  to  forsake  that  old  life  I  once  shared 
with  you  and,  as  I  have  done,  give  your¬ 
selves  into  the  hands  of  the  Master,  Jesus 
Christ. 

You  don’t  know  what  you  are  missing 
of  happiness  in  this  world  and  what  you 
may  miss  in  the  world  to  come.  I  do  not 
ask  you  to  take  my  life  for  an  example. 
That  would  be  a  poor  example,  indeed. 
We  do  not  have  to  take  any  human  life 
for  a  copy.  The  life  of  Christ  is  the  one 
true  example  for  us  all,  and  I  believe  that 
when  we  stand  before  the  great  Judge  of 
all,  the  question  will  not  be,  if  we  have 
lived  as  well  as  this  professing  Christian  or 


70 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


that  church  member,  but  if  we  have  lived 
our  life  as  nearly  like  the  life  of  Christ  as 
we  could. 

And  right  here  let  me  say  a  few  words 
to  professing  Christians  and  church  mem¬ 
bers  who  dance.  I  say'  “professing” 
Christians  because  I  believe  there  is  a  vast 
diference  between  a  Christian  and  a 
“  professing”  Christian  and  church  mem¬ 
ber  who  dances. 

To  be  a  Christian  is  to  be  Christlike, 
and  I  believe  there  is  nothing  Christlike 
in  partaking  of  such  pleasures  as  have  been 
described  in  the  foregoing  pages,  even 
though  you  indulge  no  further  than  the 
license  of  the  waltz.  And  even  granting 
(if  this  were  possible)  that  you  only 
engage  in  the  indecent  and  suggestive 
position  and  motions,  without  a  single 
sinful  thought  or  feeling,  do  you  believe 
that  your  Heavenly  Father  could  say  to 
you,  “Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful 
servant.  Thou  hast  spent  the  evening  to 
my  honor  and  glory.  Thou  art  in  the 


FROM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


71 


world  and  not  of  it.  Thou  hast  done 
nothing  that  could  cause  thy  brother  to 
offend,  but  hast  set  a  good  and  Godly  ex¬ 
ample.  Thou  art  letting  thy  light  so 
shine  before  men  that  they  will  see  your 
good  works  and  glorify  your  Father  which 
is  in  heaven.  Thou  art  denying  thyself 
and  taking  thy  cross  daily  and  following 
me.  I  left  my  home  in  glory  and  lived 
and  suffered  and  died  the  death  of  the 
crucified  that  thou  mightest  take  thine 
ease,  dance,  drink,  and  be  merry,  and  then, 
lay  down  thy  cross  and  take  up  thy  crown 
in  glory  to  be  with  thy  Savior  and  be  like 
Him.’’ 

“The  Son  of  man  cometh  at  an  hour 
when  ye  know  not.” 

If  he  should  come  and  find  you  at  the 
dance,  locked  in  the  embrace  of  another 
woman’s  husband,  do  you  feel  that  he 
would  consider  you  ready  ? 

Do  you  not  feel  the  slightest  fear  that 
He  would  say,  “  Depart  from  me,  I  never 
knew  you  ?” 


72 


OM  THE  BALL-ROOM  TO  HELL. 


Ah,  my  friends,  I  should  fear  it  very 
much.  I  should  fear  that  to  my  account 
would  be  laid  the  sin  of  the  harlot. 

You  say  that  you  dance  very  prop¬ 
erly.  What  have  you  to  say  for  those 
who,  looking  to  you  for  a  Christian  exam¬ 
ple,  see  that  you,  a  church  member,  dance, 
and  conclude  that  there  can  be  no  harm 
in  it  for  them,  so  they  indulge  and  are 
ruined  by  it,  and  in  after  days  are  to  be 
found  leading  a  life  of  shame  in  the 
brothel,  all  because  of  your  example 
which  led  them  to  take  the  first  step  on 
the  downward  road  ? 

Do  you  believe  that  when  you  shall 
both  stand  before  the  bar  of  God  for  just 
judgment  that  none  of  her  sin  will  be  laid 
to  your  charge  ? 

Christian  friends,  a  great  responsibility 
rests  upon  us  all,  not  only  to  see  that  we 
“  keep  ourselves  unspotted  from  the 
world,”  but  that  we  do  all  in  our  power  to 
drive  from  our  fair  land  this  awful  blot 
and  curse. 


TESTIMONIALS 


We  have  just  finished  reading  Mr.  Falkner’s  book, 
called  “  From  the  Ball-Room  to  Hell,”  and  we  are 
profoundly  moved  by  it.  We  believe  every  word  of  it  is 
true,  and  that  his  characterization  of  the  demoralization 
and  ruin  wrought  by  the  modern  dance  is  none  too  strong¬ 
ly  put. 

Surely  nothing  worse  could  have  been  found  in  Sodom 
than  these  Dancing  Academies,  as  a  reason  why  the  right¬ 
eous  God  sent  fire  and  brimstone  and  destroyed  them  all. 

These  exposures  are  as  carefully  and  delicately  written 
as  could  be,  and  yet  not  fail  to  be  fully  understood. 

We  hope  the  book  will  find  a  wide  reading  and  help  to 
open  many  eyes  that  are  blind  and  startle  many  that  are 
careless,  and  prove  to  be  a  barbed  wire  fence  around  many 
homes  of  the  innocent. 

May  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  bless  our  Christian  brother 
in  his  efforts  to  expose  these  hot  beds  of  vice.  We  advise 
all  pastors  and  members  of  our  Churches  to  read  this 
book,  and  send  it  to  friends. 

Signed  by  the  following  ministers  : 

Rev.  BRESEE,  Pastor  Simpson  M.  E  Church. 

Rev.  D.  READ,  Pastor  First  Baptist  Church. 

Rev.  H.  U.  CRABBE,  Pastor  United  Presbyterian. 

Rev.  M.  H.  STINE,  First  English  Lutheran  Church. 

Rev.  A.  C.  SMI  THERS, Temple  St.  Christian  Church. 

Rev.  F.  Y.  FESHER,  Vincent  M.  E.  Church. 

Rev.  A  B.  PHILLIPS,  City  and  County  Missionary. 

Rev.  J.  H.  COLLINS,  Third  Congregational  Church. 

Rev.  A.  ANDERSON,  Universalist. 

Rev.  FATHER  MORLEY,  Catholic  Priest. 

Rev.  O.  Read  writes: — ‘‘You  have  photographed  the 
ball-room  correctly.” 


TESTIMONIALS. 


Rev.  B.  Fay  Mills  says :  May  God  bless  you  in  your  work, 
and  hope  that  great  good  will  be  accomplished  by  this  book. 

I  believe  what  you  say  is  true.  I  know  of  such  cases  as  you 
have  described.  It  should  be  read  by  all  Christians. 

Capt.  E.  R.  Jennings: — “Among  those  who  have  spoken 
in  praise  of  your  powerfully  written  little  hook,  ‘From 
the  Ball-Room  to  Hell/  let  my  name  be  enrolled.” 

Rev.  E.  S.  Taylor  writes:  “Last  evening  I  purchased 
a  copy  of  ‘  From  the  Ball-Room  to  Hell/  I  read  it  through 
at  one  sitting,  and  hasten  to  thank  you  for  your  noble  ut¬ 
terance.  I  know  from  my  own  experience  that  every  word 
is  true.” 

Rev.  S.  E.  Wilson,  in  a  long  and  eulogistic  letter,  says: 
“  This  book  fills  a  vacant  niche  in  the  temple  of  litera¬ 
ture,  not  occupied  by  sermons  or  homilies. 

Prof,  Homes,  ex-dancing  master,  writes,  this  book  is 
founded  on  facts. 

The  Rev.  Father  Morley,  a  Catholic  Priest  of  Cali¬ 
fornia,  writes:  “Having  carefully  read  your  excellent  book, 
‘From  The  Ball-Room  to  Hell/  I  cannot  forbear  express¬ 
ing  my  full  approval,  therefore  I  cheerfully  endorse  every 
line  contained  therein.  You  have  opened,  dear  sir,  a  cam¬ 
paign  against  public  evil.  You  can  send  to  me  one  hun¬ 
dred  copies,  which  I  shall  place  in  the  hands  of  my  fol¬ 
lowers.” 

The  author  writes  evidently  under  a  deep  conviction  of 
the  truth,  and  gives  a  voice  of  warning  in  terms  that  will 
nigh  take  away  the  breath  of  many  parents  who  read  it. 
We  think  that  every  pastor  ought  to  see  that  one  of  these 
books  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  all  members  of 
their  church. — California  Christian  Advocate. 


TESTIMONIALS 


The  lady  principal  of  one  of  the  chief  female  educa¬ 
tional  establishments  on  the  Pacific  Slope  writes:  “My¬ 
self  and  lady  friends  of  mine,  have  read  the  book  ‘From  the 
Ball-Room  to  Hell,’  and  think  you  have  done  a  noble  work, 
and  think  it  ought  to  be  read  by  all  parents.” 

Prof.  A.  T.  Sullivan,  ex-dancing  master,  says  waltzing 
is  the  spur  of  lust. 

We  feel  pleased  that  there  exists- a  pen  bold  enough  to 
denounce  the  evil  complained  of  in  so  masterly  a  manner 
and  in  such  vigorous  English.  If  we  mistake  not,  it  will 
work  great  good  in  the  social  world. — Los  Angeles 
Evening  Express. 

This  book  has  created  a  greater  flutter  in  social  circles 
than  anything  published  within  our  remembrance.  Its 
pages  should  receive  careful  perusal  of  parents,  and  the 
equally  careful  attention  of  the  young.  We  believe  every 
word  of  it  is  true.— Los  Angeles  Times. 


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